Alerts issued on Trumbull home burglaries

TRUMBULL -- In the wake of a rash of local home burglaries, police warn residents to be aware of anything suspicious in their neighborhoods and to report such activity to police.

The were 47 residential burglaries reported in Trumbull between Aug. 1 and Oct. 21, according to an e-mail alert sent Friday to town residents.

"For Trumbull, this is an unusually high number of residential burglaries," the alert states.

A Reverse 911 message also has been sent to residents about the burglaries, said Deputy Police Chief Michael Harry.

On Monday, one resident reported that a green Subaru Legacy wagon, believed to have been used in another burglary, backed into her driveway and of the two men in the car knocked on her door. When she answered, he said something about raking leaves and then left.

Police said that the burglars sometimes knock on doors to determine if anyone is home and, if not, they break in even during daylight.

The most effective way to prevent break-ins "is if burglars know that everyone in the neighborhood is looking out for each other," Harry said.

People who spot anything suspicious should notify Trumbull police at 911 or 203-261-3665, even if it's just a vehicle driving slowly through a neighborhood or an unfamiliar car in a driveway, he said.

"We don't care if they all turn out to be false. We'd rather have that," Harry said. "We're not getting a lot [of suspect information] because people are not taking notice of their neighborhoods. They should not be afraid to call us. One of [the calls] is going to turn out to be the ones we're looking for."

Since the notices went out, more people have been calling, Harry said. "They are paying attention and we appreciate that."

Police have deployed additional targeted patrols and unmarked vehicles in areas where the most burglaries have been reported, and are also working with police in other communities that have suffered a similar crime spree in hopes of identifying burglary patterns.